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Definition of bristletooth
bristletooth
/ˈbrɪs.əlˌtuːθ/
bris · tle · tooth
Plural:bristleteeth
bristletooth Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
11
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A marine reef fish of the genus Ctenochaetus in the surgeonfish family, characterized by numerous fine, flexible teeth used for grazing on algae and organic detritus.
Example
"The Tomini bristletooth is highly valued by marine aquarists for its relentless grazing on nuisance algae."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for bristletoothWord Nuance & Usage
Most commonly encountered as a modifier in the common name of fishes (e.g., 'bristletooth tang'), though it can be used as a standalone noun to refer to the fish itself.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
A descriptive compound of 'bristle' and 'tooth', named for the fine, comb-like dentition that these marine fishes use to scrape algae and detritus from coral reefs.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Bristletooth. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 17, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/bristletooth